UPSC Main 2022: Aspirants demand extra attempt for Mains exam due to COVID

UPSC Mains extra attempt: Aspirants have filed a written petition in the Supreme Court seeking an extra attempt for the UPSC Main Exam, as the aspirants claim that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their preparations have been hampered. Senior advocate, Gopal Sankaranarayan, who was representing the petitioners before the court, told the bench of justices, including Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice CT Ravikumar, that two of the petitioners had appeared for a few exams and were not able to sit in the remaining examinations as they tested positive for COVID-19. The third petitioner was not able to appear in even a single exam as he tested positive for coronavirus.

UPSC Aspirants demand extra attempts for Mains

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has allowed two weeks of time for USPC to answer the petition filed by the aspirants. Earlier, several students had approached the Delhi High Court to postpone the main exam on January 5, 2022, due to a surge in COVID cases, but their plea was rejected by the court. Earlier, on Tuesday, a few Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) aspirants spent the night on the streets of the national capital as they sat on hunger strike demanding an extra attempt to appear for the civil service exam.

Meanwhile, the issue attracted much attention on social media, as hashtags like #UPSCExtraAttempt and #CompensatoryAttempt trended on Twitter. "This fight is not for an individual, but for the whole youth of this country. We lost a lot during the COVID pandemic, but losing the dream opportunities and hard work of our lives will haunt us forever," a tweet read, "The government should provide relief," it added.

On Monday, during the hearing, the UPSC stated that the issue raised in the petition is "very complicated". "I think this is an issue that is very, very complicated. I think I need instructions and to place on record all the aspects before your lordships before any decision is taken," the UPSC's counsel told a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and C T Ravikumar. The bench has scheduled the hearing for March 21 and said that affidavits should be filed by the parties before the next date.

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